October 2020 - The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, opened July 30, is a tribute to the Olympic and Paralympic movements, with Team USA athletes at the center of the story.

The 60,000-square-foot building, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, New York, features 20,000 square feet of galleries, a s theater, event space and cafe. “Every aspect of our design strategy [is meant to] express the extraordinary athleticism and progressive values of Team USA,” says Benjamin Gilmartin, architect and partner at Diller Scofidio + Renfro. The facade consists of over 9,000 folded anodized aluminum panels. Fabricated and installed by MG McGrath, Maplewood, Minnesota, each diamond-shaped panel is 0.63-inch-think, with lengths ranging from 2 feet, 8 inches to 4 feet, 8 inches.

To conform to the twisting geometry of the museum, the design team collaborated with framing systems firm Radius Track, Minneapolis, to develop a curved sheathing. The cold-formed metal framing is attached to the primary steel structure with an axial connection.

Photos: Diller Scofidio + Renfro